Young Male Syndrome

Young men take higher levels of risks than other people, as insurance
companies and law officers are well aware. This can be dangerous, but has
developed with clear evolutionary purpose.

Risk-taking

Young men tend to take far more significant risks than others. The drive
faster, indulge in extreme sports and otherwise seem to seek thrills in ways
that endangers life and limb.

In fact whilst risk-taking can indeed be thrilling, there are other benefits
that have distinct evolutionary value.

Aggression

Young people tend to be more susceptible to strong emotions where there is
the thrills of risk and power in aggression. Young men are more prone to anger and are more likely to get
into fights and violent arguments in which there is a risk of them being harmed.
In fact American men in their mid-twenties are 20 times as likely as women of a
similar age to be murdered.

Male bonding

Whilst young men compete with one another for women, they also take risks
together, egging each other on. Men are more likely to join groups and gangs n which risks
are taken on a regular basis. These are often ritualized, such as in gang entry
rites and otherwise follow a common process of dares, encouragement and
celebration.

Collaborative risk-taking allows the young men to sort out status issues.
Those who take greater risks are also sending a message to others about how hard
they would fight if they fell into conflict with one another.

This shared danger and resolution of status issues has an effect of
bonding the young men together. They
hence
become friends and learn to collaborate, for example when competing against
other groups or in hunting for food and gaining other resources. This has
significant evolutionary benefit for the survival of a tribe.

Mating display

The fundamental underlying driver of young male syndrome is the
search for a mate. A key criterion for women in choosing a mate is the ability
of the male to feed and protect her and their offspring. Males who are bold
hence get extra consideration. High status is also a significant benefit.

Developing a reputation in the male boding and shared
risk-taking activities helps this as the women hear about the stories of
derring-do.

So what?

When working with young men, accept that they may well be relatively extreme
risk-takers. This means they are susceptible to dares and other risk-based
provocation. They may also be prone to anger and other emotions.